AI Demand Extends RAM Shortage to 2027

A global shortage of random access memory (RAM) is set to extend well into 2027, driven by surging demand from artificial intelligence infrastructure, according to market analysts. The constraints, which began intensifying in late 2025, have already led to higher prices and reduced availability for consumer electronics, affecting manufacturers and buyers worldwide.

The primary cause lies in the rapid expansion of AI data centers, which require vast quantities of high-performance memory, including high-bandwidth memory (HBM). Producers such as Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron have shifted resources toward these higher-margin AI components, limiting supply for standard DRAM and NAND used in personal computers, smartphones, and storage devices. Analysts estimate that AI applications could consume up to 70 percent of high-end DRAM production by 2026, exacerbating the imbalance between demand and supply.

International Data Corporation (IDC), a market research firm, has revised its forecasts downward in response. It now projects a 11.6 percent decline in global PC shipments for 2026, a steeper drop than its prior estimate of 8.9 percent. Tablet production is also expected to fall due to...